514 LARID.E. 



below the eye to the ear-coverts a stripe of white, forming 

 the whisker or moustache ; back, wing-coverts, upper tail- 

 coverts, and tail-feathers uniform dark grey, almost slate- 

 grey ; first quill-feather lead-grey on the outer web, and 

 over a considerable portion of that part of the inner web 

 nearest to the white shaft, the other part of the inner web 

 white ; the outer webs of the other primary and secondary 

 feathers lighter grey than the inner webs ; chin and throat 

 greyish- white ; neck and breast slate-grey, and as dark as 

 the back ; abdomen, thighs, and flanks lead-grey ; under 

 wing and tail-coverts white ; legs, toes, and membranes 

 red, the membranes deeply indented. From the point of 

 the beak to the first feathers on the forehead one inch and 

 one-eighth ; from the point of the beak to the end of the 

 middle, or short, tail-feathers, ten inches and a half, to 

 the end of the outside, and longest tail-feather one inch 

 more, making the whole length eleven inches and a half. 

 From the carpal joint of the wing to the end of the first 

 quill-feather, which is the longest, nine inches and one- 

 quarter ; length of the tarsus seven-eighths of an inch ; of 

 the middle toe three-quarters of an inch, claw of the mid- 

 dle toe three-eighths of an inch, strong and curved. 



Adult birds in winter, according to M. Temminck, have 

 the forehead, crown, occiput, neck, and all the under parts 

 pure white ; a black spot behind the eyes ; mantle, back, 

 wings, tail-coverts and tail-feathers uniform ash-grey ; bill, 

 legs, and feet deep lake-red. Young birds of the year have 

 the crown of the head varied with red and brown ; occiput 

 and ear-coverts greyish-black ; the feathers of the back, 

 scapulars and secondaries brown in the middle, bordered 

 and tipped with dirty flesh-colour ; tail-feathers blackish- 

 grey towards the end, but tipped with white ; beak brown, 

 red at the base ; legs and feet flesh-colour. 



